The general field of science of the present invention is in image processing, pattern recognition and electro-optical sensors used in target acquisition and strike capability.
Artillery battalions have previously proven to be an effective deterrent against advancing armies. Their projectiles are low cost and their effects against troop movements are devastating. At the present, advancing troops are transported within artillery ranges by armored personnel carriers (APCs) and are supported by the close range fire power of tanks. The use of APCs have led to the development of armor piercing artillery as well as illuminating rounds to aid the forward observer in sighting enemy movement. The probability of a random fire artillery hit upon an armored moving target is however almost zero. Also, the forward observer is placed in the dangerous position of being detected by enemy scouts.
To increase the number of hits on armored targets, the forward observer has been equipped with a laser designator to mark appropriate targets. A launched laser seeking shell can then find and destroy these marked targets with almost 100% accuracy. However, since the designating laser is a visible source, the forward observer has now disclosed his position to enemy forces and is in danger of being killed. In all these cases, the weakest link is the human forward observer.
To alleviate the problem of the forward observer being in a vulnerable position, an artillery television (ATV) has been used to sight the enemy movements. The ATV is comprised of a TV camera and transmitter mounted to a parachute, all contained in a standard illuminating round. When fired in a path over enemy territory, the chute is deployed after a known delay. The slowly descending TV camera transmits pictures of enemy forces or vehicles back to a receiving display system at a ground station. The ATV camera system is also used to detect the impact of high explosive rounds during actual firing so that artillery correction may be correlated at the receiver station.
Even though the ATV camera may be substituted for the forward observer and as an artillery correction medium, a problem still exists in the ability to hit hardened moving targets such as APCs and tanks. Even if artillery correction were perfect, chances are that the target has moved from the originally observed location by the time the artillery round arrives.
Problems also exist in firing missiles from airborne stations, such as advanced attack helicopters (AAH) or airplanes, over the outer perimeter of enemy terrain where the enemy may quickly return fire to the aircraft. A need to minimize the exposure time of the aircraft to enemy fire, yet retain accuracy of direct hits, is solved by the present inventive system. The same is true for the artillery projectiles since they employ a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) with a laser designator to provide target annotation for the projectile sensor. Both the RPV and the AAH contain expensive sensor platforms that should be preserved. The present inventive system will be applicable to a number of imaging missile systems, such as the HELLFIRE, MAVERICK, etc and imaging artillery projectile, such as the cannon launched guided projectile (CLGP) employing the ATV or infrared sensor.